December 12, 2010-3rd Sunday of Advent page 2 St. Francis of Assisi Parish Third Sunday of Advent, Illinois
St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Illinois page 2 A Joyful Heart, a Cheerful Attitude Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared. Isaiah 35:5 Advent invites us to open the eyes and ears of our heart to a joyful receptivity of Christ s presence. Overall, I think Christians enter more fully into Lent with its focus on Christ s suffering than they enter into Advent with its spotlight on joy. Why? Perhaps there is some old message in us that believes holiness comes to those who suffer a lot. We can grow from joy as well as from sorrow. All depends on our attitude. Suffering can lead to compassion or to bitterness and self-centeredness. Joy can also move toward overt self-orientation but it most often promotes gratitude, praise, eagerness to share and enthusiasm for the Creator s gifts. Perhaps the best present we could give one another this Christmas is a joyful heart and a cheerful attitude. LIVING FAITH Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M. Discovering Franciscan Spirituality Biographers of the life of St. Francis state that he was always more demanding of himself than of others. At the same time, he saw where advice and corrections were necessary. For the benefit of the growing community he wrote 28 Admonitions which are valuable to us even today. The following quote is taken from Admonition six. Therefore, it is a great shame for us, the servants of God, that the saints have accomplished great things and we want only to receive glory and honor by recounting them. Local Secular Franciscans invite active Catholics who are 18 years of age or older to gather for initial formation at 1:00 pm on December 19, 2010 and attend Benediction at 2:00 pm which is followed by on-going formation, the monthly meeting, and refreshments. All of this will be at St. Francis Church and St. Clare Hall in. For more information phone Fr. Ken at 217-857- 6404 or Jim Weis at 217-857-3491. Holy Day Mass Schedule Christmas Day Holy Day of Obligation Christmas Eve, Dec. 24 5:30 & 10:30 pm Christmas Day, Dec. 25 7:00 & 8:45 am New Year s Day Dec. 31 4:00 pm Jan. 1 9:00 am A Christmas Custom Window lights seem to be the result of an old Irish tradition. A candle would be placed in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome any traveler. It has an obvious reference to the journey of Joseph and Mary. Lights are also obvious symbols of Christ, who as St. John writes, was the light who came into this world. Parish Office 203 E. Main St., P.O. Box 730,, IL 62467-0730 Office Hours: Mon. -Fri. 9:00 am -4:30 pm Phone...(217) 857-6404 Fax...(217) 857-1031 Parish E-mail... stfrancischurch@mchsi.com Parish website: stfrancischurch.com Submit written bulletin notices by noon Monday. Diocesan website: www.dio.org Sacrament of Reconciliation Besides the usual Saturday time (3:30-4:30 pm) for confessions, there will be parish confessions on Tuesday, December 21st from 7:00-8:00 pm or until all have the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance. Welcome! The following have recently registered as new families in the parish. Chris and Christy (Bergfeld) Tegeler Curtis and Amber (Schumacher) Barker Greg and Donna (Ruholl) Addis and children: Ian, Evan and Gavin Men s Holy Name The Men s Holy Name will meet tomorrow, Dec. 13th, at 7:30 pm in the Museum Mtg. Room. All are welcome. Calendar Year Closings Please note that the year of 2010 will be closed out in the computer as of December 31, 2010. If contributions are to be considered in the year of 2010 for tax purposes, they must be received at the parish office by 4:00 pm on December 31st or be post marked before January 1st. All contributions received or postmarked after December 31, 2010 will be posted to the year of 2011. Thank you.
December 12, 2010 3rd Sunday of Advent page 3 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Liturgy Schedule 3rd Week of Advent December 13-19 St. Lucy Mass at 6:30 am St. John of the Cross Mass at 6:30 & 8:05 am Mass at 6:30 & 8:05 am Mass at 6:30 am Mass at 6:30 & 8:05 am Mass at 5:30 pm 4th Sunday of Advent Mass at 7:00, 8:45, 10:30 am Confession Schedule Saturday, - 3:30-4:30 pm Parish Calendar Monday, December 13 Separate and deliver Giving Tree gifts, 9:00 am CCW Christmas Party, 6:30 pm, Gr. Sch. Aud. Holy Name mtg., 7:30 pm, Museum Dining Rm. Wednesday, December 15 Children s Choir, 3:30 pm Decorate Church for Christmas, 4:00 pm Jr. High Confessions High School Religion Thursday, December 16 Bible Study, 10:00 am, St. Clare Friday, December 17 Rosary, 9:30 am, Church and St. Clare Saturday, December 18 Confessions, 3:30-4:30 pm Sunday, December 19 Secular Franciscans meet, 2:00 pm, Church Liturgy of the Hours with Friars Monday-Friday -- 11:45 am & 4:45 pm Art and Environment Committee The schedule for decorating the church for Christmas: Wed., December 15th, 4:00 pm set up trees Wed., December 22nd, 6:00 pm flowers Please notify Mary Flach, if you are available to help either or both days at 857-6011 or 663-2356 or marycflach@yahoo.com. Pray for the Sick Please remember in your prayers those who are sick, especially: : Rebekah Volk, Sr. Clara Esker, Jodi Waymoth, Evelyn Krone, Cathy Green, Nicholas Rhodes, Agnes Kremer, Karlene Frese, Renae Roepke Stewardship of Treasure Sunday Total Fiscal 12/5/2010 Year 294 Adult envelopes $7,599.00 $172,975.50 Other 437.37 12,429.61 TOTAL $8,036.37 $185,405.11 GOAL $9,900.00 $227,700.00 Question of the Week James exhorts his readers to patience. How do you handle being patient? Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 Ministry Sign-ups for Christmas Season There are ministry sign-up sheets for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and New Year s Eve (4:00 pm Mass) and New Year s Day (9:00 am Mass) in the main entrance of Church. If you are commissioned to be in any of the ministries: Usher, Lector, Gift Bearer, or Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, please consider sharing your ministry this Christmas season. Please check in sacristy the day of the Holy Day to see where you are needed. Thank you for sharing your time and ministry! Also, a reminder that those regularly scheduled for December are expected to serve on Sunday, Dec. 26th (7:00, 8:45, and 10:30 am Masses). Those scheduled for ministry duties in January are expected to serve on Sat., Jan.1 (5:30 pm Mass) and on Sun., Jan. 2 (7:00, 8:45, and 10:30 am Masses). Homebound Ministers Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion to the Homebound for Sunday, December 19th are: Lenora Drees 857-3583, Betty Koeberlein 342-3204, Deb Runde 857-6281, Sharon Brummer 857-6092
St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Illinois page 4 Family Corner Today, the Third Sunday of Advent, we light our pink candle on the wreath. This is joyful Sunday. We have only two more weeks before we celebrate Jesus birth. If you haven t already done so, make cookies this week. Use some Advent symbols: candle, stocking, circle or wreath, crib, etc. Share these with someone who is in your neighborhood. Put a plate outside their door, ring the doorbell and hide so they don t know where the cookies came from. What fun to surprise others!! Set aside some family time every day this week. Take turns reading from the bible the story of Jesus. Luke 2:1-20. Talk about what it must have been like. Do the puzzle below. Find as many names for Jesus as you can. They go up and down, diagonally and backwards. How many names do you have? Why does Jesus have so many? How many names do you have? Religious Education News Attention Catechists, Mass Supervisors and Helpers! Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 21, Christmas gathering in the Museum Dining Room for catechists from 8:00 to 9:00 am for Mass Supervisors and Helpers from 9:00 to 10:00 am. Grade School This is the third week of Advent. Children are reminded to get ready for Jesus coming by serving others helping, making and wrapping gifts, sending out Christmas cards or notes, running errands, being pleasant when asked to do something, not letting down on school work, projects, and/or goals. Many thanks to all Grade 3 children, parents, catechists, teachers, all who helped with the Store and children in all the other grades who purchased gifts for their families. Total amount received during the 3 day sale was $1683.00. This amount will go to the missionaries from this area and their mission programs. Kdgn./Pre School Sunday program takes place during the l0:30 Mass in the grade school cafeteria area. Practice for the Epiphany program takes place Dec. 12 and Dec. 19. There will be no classes on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2. The Epiphany Program takes place on Sunday, January 9, after the l0:30 Mass in Church, followed by refreshments in St. Clare Hall for children and families, guests, and parishioners. Junior High- Reconciliation takes place Wed., Dec. 15, in the Junior High Building. This is the last class before Christmas. Classes resume on Wed., January 5. Youth Note No Teen Center December 17 & 18 because of Homecoming. Be safe and the people God created you to be! Holy Humor As the Christmas Eve congregation stood for prayer, a little girl in the pew ahead placed her doll on the seat beside her. I looked down at the ugliest doll ever. It had a cartoon character face and a bulbous nose. A pink ribbon with an attached pacifier hung from its neck. Impulsively, I put the pacifier into the doll s mouth to see if the girl would notice. After three quick clicking noises, the doll emitted a highpitched, nonstop wail. Everyone stared, and the mother glared at her daughter. I told you not to put that pacifier in during church! But, Mom, I didn t, the little girl said. It s my fault. I did it, I confessed. My face burned, rivaling the brightest poinsettia. The mother turned and gave me an equally sharp glare. I m so sorry. I didn t realize her doll would make noise. After the prayer, we all returned to our seats. And just as my face was returning to a normal color, my husband stagewhispered over the heads of our giggling teenage daughters, Honey, I would ve gotten you your own doll for Christmas if you d have asked.
December 12, 2010 3rd Sunday of Advent page 5 CHWC Cookie/Candy Sale Are you running out of time to prepare your Christmas cookies and candy? Let us help you out. Catholic Heart Work Camp will be selling homemade cookies/candies after all Masses this weekend in St. Clare Hall. Come check out the variety of homemade treats for all your holiday parties or gifts. Celebrate the Christmas Season! The officers of the St. Francis CCW invite the women of our parish to our annual CCW Christmas Party. The festivities will be held on Monday, December 13, 2010 beginning with a 6:00 pm dinner held at the Grade School Auditorium. Turkey, homemade noodles, rolls, drinks and table service will be provided. Please bring a covered dish. A $3.00 gift exchange is optional. Join us for an evening of entertainment, delicious food, fun and fellowship. We are excited to have the theatrical talents of the 1st grade class of TGS to entertain us with their Christmas play, Bringing You Christmas Spirit! Donations for Flowers We are accepting donations for flowers for Christmas and special occasions during 2011. Please place your donation in an envelope marked FLOWERS and place it in the collection basket next weekend, or drop it off at the parish office. If the donation is being made in memory of a loved one, please note this on the envelope also. Prayer Service For Brandy (Lewis) Will A Prayer Service will be held on Thursday, December 16th, at 6:30 pm at St. Rose Church in Montrose for Brandy (Lewis) Will. Brandy has been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the left bronchus (a type of lung cancer). She is the wife of Brad Will. His parents are Alf and Dolores Will of Montrose. A collection will be taken to help with medical expenses. Area Events Chili Supper to benefit Pamela Rowlee on Sunday, December 12, 12:00-5:00 pm at the Sacred Heart, Effingham Parish Hall. Pamela has been diagnosed with Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency. An Advent Evensong, Sunday, December 12, 4:00 pm at Holy Cross Church, Wendelin. Performance is dedicated to the memory of Fr. David L. Braun. Nativity Set Displays Over 60 beautiful Nativity sets are currently on display at The Cross of the Crossroads in Effingham. You re invited to visit the Welcome Center at the Cross from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday-Sunday, to experience the annual Nativity Festival. Gingerbread Display You are invited to view Dr. Boyajian s gingerbread display at Wright s Furniture in Dieterich. This gingerbread creation is about the spirit of Christmas, the magical world of Santa Claus and, of course, his castle. The display will be up until the end of January. CHRISTMAS WALK FOR REBEKAH VOLK Friends and family of Rebekah Volk invite you to catch the Christmas Spirit with a Christmas Walk on Sunday, December 12 from 1 6 pm! Tickets are $15 per person (includes tour of homes and snacks at each site). Raffle items will be available at houses on the walk! Money raised will go to the Rebekah Volk family to help cover medical costs. Tickets with maps can be purchased the day of the walk at the tour sites. Homes on the Christmas Walk: Gerry & Judy Moore 18120 Wild Oaks Dr Effingham Kent & Julie Probst 213 S Oak Doug & Lori Mette 16844 E 1700th Ave Ben & Jamie Habing 16900 Snake Trail Rd Tim & Linda Hemmen 17811 N 1650th St Roger & Janet Henderson 102 N Herrin Mike & Shannon Hinkle 407 N John Mrs. Volk is an English teacher at High School who has been fighting a rare type of cancer for the second time in approximately 4 years. She and her husband, Mark, and their children are parishioners of St. Francis. See the decorated homes, get in the spirit of Christmas and help the Rebekah Volk family!
St. Francis of Assisi Parish -, Illinois page 6 Date Sunday in Ordinary Time page 6 CURRENT ADDRESSES FOR THE RELIGIOUS December, 2010 Fr. Edwin Albers, OFM 8525 Valcour St. Louis, MO 63123 314-631-0783 Fr. Maurus Hawickhorst, OFM Convento Sao Francisco Caixa Postal 191 68100-970 Santarem, Para, BRAZIL Fr. Lambert Leykam, OFM St. Maximilian Friary 1 Marquard Circle Crowley, TX 76036-2000 Phone: 817-370-9747 Br. Claver Boerner, OFM Our Lady of the Lake Friary 106 North 2nd Avenue East Ashland, WI 54806-1720 Fr. Joseph Carlos, OFM 19812 E 1000th Ave Dieterich, IL 62424 1-217-925-5579 Br. Tom Eisenmenger, OFM San Miguel Friary 5710 Arlitt Drive San Antonio, TX 78222-4804 Sr. Anita Fearday, ASC Casilla 3619 La Paz, Bolivia SOUTH AMERICA Sr. Henriette Hoene, SSND Veronica House, Apt. 218 12284 DePaul Drive Bridgeton, MO 63044 Fr. Jeffry Holtman 2606 Washington Ave Granite City, IL 62040-4810 Phone: 618-877-7158 Br. Pauli Johnson, OFM St. Anthony Friary 3140 Meramec St. St. Louis, MO 63118-4399 Phone: 314-353-7470 Fr. Sylvano Pera, OFM St. Francis of Assisi Church 203 E. Main St. P O Box 730, IL 62467 Fr. Bill Rooney, OFM St. Anthony of Padua Friary 4185 Brookway Lane Brooklyn, OH 44144 Phone 216-661-7138 Fr. Luis Runde, OFM St. Michael Church 3713 Harwood Bedford, TX 76021 Phone: 817-283-8746 Cell: 682-234-6655 Fr. Cal Giesen, OFM St. Maximilian Kolbe Friary 1 Marquard Circle Crowley, TX 76036-2000 Phone: 817-370-9747 Fr. Irenaeus Kimminau, OFM Holy Cross Friary 724 N. 20th St. Quincy, IL 62301-2463 Fr. Robert Sieg, OFM LaVerna Friary 1834 Kennett Place St. Louis, MO 63104 Phone: 314-773-2055 Fr. Jeff Goeckner St. Boniface Church 110 N. Buchanan St. P O Box 423 Edwardsville, IL 62025-0423 Phone: 618-655-9524 Br. James Lammers, OFM 161 Vondera Robertsville, MO 63072-2529 Email: jblofm@netzero.com Sr. Helen Vahling, OSF 3208 Indianwood Lane Joliet, IL 60431-4919 Phone: 815-630-5431 Fr. Paul Habing Pfarrhaus St. Antonius Oewerweg, 40/42 D-28325, Bremen Germany Fr. James Lause, OFM St. Anthony Friary 3140 Meramec St. St. Louis, MO 63118-4399 Phone: 314-353-7470 Fr. Tom Vos, OFM Cross in the Woods Friary 7078 M-68 Indian River, MI 49749-9324 Phone: 231-238-8973